OAF News

Glenys Marshall Awarded the Tim Sims Encouragement Award

Toronto, December 10, 2018 - Glenys Marshall is the 2018 recipient of the $2,500Tim Sims Encouragement Award. The Tim Sims Encouragement Award honours a promising Canadian comedic performer who is in the early stages of their career. Glenys was selected for the award by the faculty of Humber College's Comedy: Writing and Performance program and was presented the award today at the Humber Comedy Program's solo show performances.

Growing up in Ottawa, Glenys Marshall was immersed in theatre by age 6. After starring as Donkey in Shrek the Musical her senior year of high school, she realized that comedy is where she belonged. During her time at Humber, Glenys went on an exchange to Salford University in Manchester, England, and met the friends that she performed alongside with at the Edinburgh Fringe this summer. After officially moving to Toronto this year, Glenys has become a member of the Second City Conservatory, a regular stand-up act across the city, and an active member of Bad Dog comedy theatre and the Canadian Improv Games. She hopes to create a sketch troupe and start getting into musicals again.

“I am extremely honoured and grateful to win this award,” says Glenys. “I know how many incredible candidates graduated with me. I grew up watching the Red Green show with my parents and absolutely share this victory with them. Tim Sims was a gracious and dedicated person and a great role-model for me to follow. Many thanks to Humber College and the Ontario Arts Foundation, and their faith in a young donkey's dreams!”

The Tim Sims Encouragement Fund was founded by Lindsay Leese and established in 1995 in the spirit and memory of Tim Sims, a well-known comedic performer, writer, director, and charity fund-raiser from Toronto. From 1996-2014, the Fund awarded prize money totaling $65,000 to young comedians in the early stages of their careers at the annual Cream of Comedy award show at Second City. Beginning in 2015, the $2,500 award is given annually to a graduate of the Comedy Writing and Performance program at the Humber College, School of Creative and Performing Arts and to a Conservatory Program Graduate at the Second City Training Program.

Established in 1991, the Ontario Arts Foundation (OAF) is passionately committed to building long-term support for the arts in Ontario. In 2017-2018, the OAF paid over $3.35 million in endowment income and $260,000 in awards and scholarships.